A synthesis Report on Technical Assistance and Investement
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A synthesis Report on Technical Assistance and Investement |
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1. The Project. Background, Objectives, Activities and Outputs.
3. Culture Based Fisheries and Aquaculture in Ghana - the Present Situation.
3.1 Culture Based Fisheries.
3.2 Aquaculture.
4.1 Potentials for Culture Based Fisheries.
4.2 Potentials for Aquaculture.
5.1 General Constraints.
5.2 Constraints Specific to Culture Based Fisheries
Development.
5.3 Constraints Specific to Aquaculture.
6. Framework for Technical Assistance and Investment for Fish Farming and Culture Based Fisheries.
6.1 Development Rationale
6.2 Development Strategy and the Phasing of
Development Activities
7.1 Overview
7.2 Elements Required for Institutional
Strengthening
7.3 Elements required for testing of CBF.
7.4 Elements required for fish farming development.
7.5 Preparatory Actions for Longer Term
Development.
8. Recommendation for Immediate Follow-up.
9.2 Project area: Information (Priority: High)
9.3 Project Area: Extension. (Priority: high)
9.3.1 Project: Promotion of Village Dugout and Dam
Fisheries in Northern Ghana
9.3.2 Project: District Level Pilot Projects for
Integrated Fish Farming in Ponds.
9.4 Project Area: Research (Priority: Medium)
9.4.1 Project: Marketing of Farmed Tilapia
9.4.2 Project: Use of Solar Salt Ponds for the
Culture of Fish and Brine Shrimp.
9.4.3 Project: Development and Management of
Lagoon Fisheries.
9.4.4 Project: The Development of M. Vollenhovenii
Culture Based Fisheries and Commercial
Culture
9.4.5 Project: Upgrading of aquaculture research
and education capability.
Appendix 1. Field Documents issued.
An FAO Investment Center mission visited Ghana from 16 to 9 December 1988 for the preparation of a rapid fishery sector review to be integrated in the World Bank sponsored Medium Term Agriculture Development Plan of Ghana (see report 10/89 CP-GHA 22 SR). As a follow up of this mission which requested further analysis of the inland fisheries and aquaculture sub-sectors, the present TCP Project was mounted by the FAO Fisheries Department for further analysis of the aquaculture and culture based fisheries. These two subsectors, in the opinion of the first mission, required a more careful assessment for the preparation of a development framework and for the identification of development potential.
A FAO/Ghana National Seminar on Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture, held in August 1989, also stressed the need for a development framework. Assistance for its preparation was also received through the Ghana Aquaculture GIS previously carried out as part of the preparatory assistance provided by the UNDP/FAO project RAF/87/077: Preparatory Assistance for and Integrated Approach to Aquaculture Development in Africa, operated in conjunction with the FAO's Regular Programme (FIRI).
The present report summarises the main findings and recommendations of the project TCP/GHA/0051 which was implemented between April and June of 1990. The main objective of the project was to prepare a framework and database for technical assistance and investment projects for aquaculture and culture based fisheries development in Ghana. The project was also required to incorporate the results generated by the Ghana Aquaculture Geographical Information System (GIS).
The framework which has been established has been based on an assessment, following field visits to all regions of Ghana, of the Physical, social, cultural and economic contexts for investment and of the institutional capabilities which exist in the country.
Project activities were essentially the collection of available literature and additional information through interviews and observations on aquaculture and culture based fisheries development, in Rome, Accra and in each of the regions of Ghana. This information was reviewed and analyzed and, where appropriate, incorporated into the Ghana Aquaculture GIS.
More specifically, the following activities were carried out:
institutional capabilities were assessed
the market potential, and the social and cultural factors affecting it, were assessed
technical assistance requirements and investment opportunities were identified
a framework for implementation of technical assistance and investment projects and outline project proposals has been developed.
the Ghana Aquaculture GIS has been expanded and its capability as a planning tool demonstrated
a database for aquaculture and culture based fisheries development has been prepared to accompany the GIS
provision has been made for training of national staff and the supply of essential equipment to enable the database to be maintained and expanded by the Fisheries Department in Ghana.
a seminar for staff of the Fisheries Department and of other interested institutions and organisations, presenting the initial findings of the mission, was held in Accra
The main outputs of the project are, therefore, the framework and supporting database for the implementation of technical assistance and investment projects. Outline project proposals and recommendations for actions which do not require projects for their implementation have also been prepared. Training and appropriate equipment for the use of the data base has been provided for staff of the Fisheries Department in Ghana.
The project has also produced a set of five field technical reports and thirteen working papers which serve as annexes to the technical reports the essentials of which this present report summarises and synthesises. A list of these reports, and a summary of their contents are attached as Appendix 1.
Fish is the most important source of animal protein in Ghana. In 1986 the total fish catch was estimated at 306000 t while the total production of meat amounted to about 44700 t, of which cattle and poultry accounted for about 15000 t each. The production of eggs was about 57000 t in that year.
In the past 10 years the fish catches from marine and inland waters have fluctuated between 180000 t and 230000 t. From 1984 the official statistics indicated an increase to about 270000 t which further increased to about 370000 t in 1987. This surge in the production is believed to be more due to the improvement in the collection of statistics than to a real increase in the extraction. Four main types of fisheries exist in the country with the artisanal canoe fishery being the more important, contributing about 75% of the total catch. Production from inland waters is not well documented in the official statistics but has been estimated to range from 40000 to 50000 t.
Freshwater fish represents about 16% of total fish supply and tilapias and Clarias account for approximately 5% of that total supply. Consumption of fish and the proportions which freshwater fish have in that consumption, however, varies throughout the different regions of the country. Roughly, consumption of fish in the coastal regions is 30 kg/person/year, 20 kgs/person/year in the middle regions and 10 kg/person/year in the northernmost regions. Within this, tilapia and catfish are estimated to account for only 3% in the coastal area, for 15% in the middle areas and for 40% in the northern areas.
The traditional product forms for tilapia are fresh, smoked, salt-dried and friend. Catfish are normally sold in smoked form. Fish farmers have to date been able to obtain the relatively high prices available for fresh fish, normally selling to buyers at the pond side. Although this market has met the needs of farmers to date, its potential for a future expanded industry is unclear and may be subject to strong competition from supplies from capture fisheries.
However, the general growth in demand for fish in Ghana, at unchanged real prices, is quite high. The population growth will ensure a growth in demand of 3 % per year. An expected annual increase in GDP of 5 % indicates an increase in GDP/capita of about 2 %. As the average Ghanaian consumer is believed to demonstrate, in the case of fish purchases, an income elasticity of close to unity, the growth in volume of fish demanded will be about 5 % per year.
About 150000 people are employed in capture fisheries, although for many of the 30000 engaged in the inland capture sector this involvement is mainly part time with agriculture remaining as their major source of income. Although no exact figures are available it can be assumed that about 150000 women are also involved in artisanal processing and trade. The economy of the coastal areas- especially Elmina, Axim, Sekondi, Tema, etc. - is heavily dependent on fishing, and most of the trade and artisanal processing is carried out by people belonging to the fishing communities.
Fish supply in Ghana does not rely heavily on imports as it happens in many other countries of the region. Since 1980 fish imports have remained between 1000 and 5000 tons/year, mainly consisting in small pelagic fish. In 1988 the liberalization of imports caused a drastic increase in fish imports which rose to about 10000 t.
Fisheries administration is the responsibility of the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture. For the inland subsector the Department counts upon an Inland Fisheries Division which takes care also of aquaculture development. In addition to the main offices in Accra, the Department operates ten regional offices which also take care of extension duties.
Other Ghanaian institutions involved in the inland fisheries and aquaculture subsectors development are:
Research and training in aquaculture, in addition to the Fisheries Department, are also responsibilities of the: Institute of Aquatic Biology (IAB), University of Science and Technology, University of Ghana, and Cape Coast University.
Credit for aquaculture development was mobilized by the Agriculture Development Bank in the early 1980s but was later discontinued due to the bad results obtained and repayment problems. (see Field Working Paper No 7).
The Government with support from the World Bank, has recently outlined strategies for the next five years for the agriculture sector and the important elements of the strategy for culture based fisheries and aquaculture are the following;
The expenditures planned for the implementation of such programme between 1991 and 1995 amount to US$ 3.32 million (see Field Technical Report 4).
Given the limited possibilities identified by the previous Fisheries Sector Review Mission for increasing marine capture fisheries landings, the only two other fishery subsectors which deserve further analysis are aquaculture and inland capture fisheries. Only the first subsector was the object of this mission. It was divided in two main areas which are dealt with below; culture based fisheries and aquaculture.
The northern areas of the country have a long dry season and a single and unreliable rainy season (see Field Technical Report No 5). The human and livestock populations of the area were, therefore, seriously affected by drought problems and the government embarked on a programme of dugout and dam construction to provide reliable supplies of water. Such schemes are widespread throughout the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions of Ghana and are now a vital part of the infrastructure of the local communities where they are located (see Field Technical Report 1). In addition to providing water for humans and livestock, these dams and dugouts have been a source of water for irrigated crop production and of fish for local people. A minimum water surface area of 1443 ha of dams and dugouts was identified in the survey conducted for water bodies of less than 4 ha. Most of this water surface (1022 ha) is found in the Northern Region, followed by the Upper East region with 164 ha.
Stocking of these water bodies began in the late 1940s in connection with the construction of community water supplies in Northern Ghana (see Field Technical Paper No. 1). Many small water bodies have been constructed in other parts of the country for the same purpose. Apart from the north, they are most prevalent in Volta Region where, in the past, stocking has been carried out. Quarterly and annual reports of the Fisheries Department show that stocking of dams and dugouts in the upper regions has been carried out over the years. However, due to the reduced number and small size of the governmental stations as well as to the inefficiency of their operation and problems encountered this programme appears to have been more nominal than real. Out of the 14 stations built by the Government in the country only four were operating at the time of the mission's visit and in most cases their situation is rather poor (see Field Working Paper No 10). Stocking remains a Fisheries Department activity in the same area and also in the Volta Region, but operations have been hindered by a lack of mobility and availability of fingerlings. The government effort was backed up by programmes for training local people in fishing techniques and this remained one of the principal involvements of the Fisheries Department for about 30 years.
Based on interviews at dams and dugouts and discussions with knowledgeable people elsewhere, there are a number of patterns of exploitation. Where dugouts and dams serve as the sole source of drinking water fishing is seen as making the water turbid and fishing is not permitted. About 24% of the Northern Region dams and dugouts fall into this category. The implication is that some permanent water bodies may never be fished. But in those which dry out, or when the water is very low in perennial water bodies, there may be an organized community fish-out just before the water disappears. About 56% of the NR dams and dugouts were fished in this way. However, no fishing may be permitted before the fish-out. In others, children and adults fish daily with hook and line or use set and cast nets to fish for subsistence and sale. In the Upper Western Region many dams appear to be exploited daily by farmers who fish part-time as well as by children. They use cast and set nets and hook and line. In essence, in many water bodies it is up to the local community authority to decide on when, by whom and with what gears fishing will take place.
Detailed results of a survey of perennial and temporary water bodies are shown in Field Technical Report 1. Permanence is an important characteristic of dams and dug-outs to evaluate stocking requirements. Data on IDA developed water bodies in the Northern Region indicate that large dams (12) are all permanent, while for medium sized ones (24), 88% of them are permanent, but for small dams (115) this percentage drops to 59%. For dugouts listed by IDA (12) the percentage which are permanent is only 25% for this region. In the Upper West Region 82% of the water bodies listed (39) are permanent.
Some reservoirs are not being exploited at all. These are reservoirs administered by Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation (GW&S) for urban water supplies. A number of regional directors of GW&S indicated that they would be willing to permit fishing, if it could be supervised. Not including Weija Reservoir that is already fished, seven reservoirs totalling about 660 ha with a potential yield of about 50 tons at 75 kg/ha, fall into this category. A positive aspect of these reservoirs from the fish marketing viewpoint is that they are relatively close to urban centres.
In summary, it appears that the fishery potential of most small water bodies and some reservoirs is unrealized, or is only being partly taken advantage of.
In the early 1980's there was a massive campaign to persuade the public to establish pond fish culture. This campaign was effective to the extent that a large number of people responded by building ponds in different parts of the country but especially in the south around Kumasi and Accra.
The results of these developments have, however, been to some extent disappointing. Many of the ponds have failed to produce, a good number of the people originally involved have remained active but only a small proportion of these have gained any return on their investment. Surveys carried out as part of this mission indicate that 23% of pond surface constructed has been abandoned and that farms remaining in operation are achieving yields well below their potential. One of the central reasons for this disappointing outcome has been the failure of government to support its promotional campaign with advice, information and extension to the aspiring producers. The government services did not have the capability to support a new industry and this situation has continued to exist to the present time. There has also been no mechanism for the exchange of information between countries in the region where the basic development potentials and constraints are similar.
Fish farms are found in 8 of the 10 regions and in 62 of the 110 districts. Operational pond surface areas (ha) by region are as follows:
| UE | 1.72 |
| BA | 8.47 |
| VO | 13.57 |
| AS | 35.23 |
| EA | 16.25 |
| WE | 14.96 |
| CE | 3.31 |
| GA | 15.94 |
| 109.45 |
At least 33.6 ha numbering 394 ponds have been abandoned over the years.
Western Region possesses the largest number of fish farms, but these are mainly very small farms of 1 are or less, “backyard fish farms”. In some regions data on “backyard” ponds were reported, but in others, such as Greater Accra, the many backyard ponds in the City of Accra were not listed in the results of the survey carried out during the mission. Looking at the country as a whole, about 31% of the farms have a surface area of 1 are or less and 69% of the farms have a pond area of 5 ares or less. Among larger farms, a surface area of 20 ares is most common. However, only 4% of the farms are larger than 1 ha and the maximum size is 6 ha. A description of available facilities in some of the farms visited by the mission and of their production patterns is given in Field Working Paper 10.
Total annual farmed fish production has been officially estimated to be between 360 and 450 tons for the five year period 1984 – 1988; however, these estimates were based on incomplete information which, when extrapolated, overstated the surface area actually being actively farmed as well as the yield per unit of area actually being achieved.
Tilapias account for at least 95% of farmed fish in Ghana. Harvest of other species in fish ponds is due to (i) accidental introduction into the ponds or, (ii) stocking by the farmer. These species include Clarias gariepinus, Heterobranchus spp, and Heterotis niloticus. However, even when these species are stocked, they are few in number compared to the tilapias. Thus, from the point of view of the farmer, they are secondary. Heterotis do reproduce in the pond and the rate of reproduction is low. Catfish fingerlings have to be caught in the wild.
There are a number of opportunities for increasing the supply of fish from culture based fisheries and aquaculture in Ghana. The main ones were identified during field visits by the mission and are outlined below. Of the different forms of production, integrated fish farming in freshwater ponds presents the most immediate development opportunity with a relatively high potential to increase supplies.
The contribution which can be expected in the near future from culture based fisheries in dugouts and dams is more limited. The reservoirs in the northern part of the country would require different approach which would be briefly dealt with below. Culture based fisheries development, and the development of aquaculture in brackishwater, is also presently constrained by a need for more information about the environments in which it might be applied.
Government strategy should, therefore, lay greater emphasis on the strengthening of the institutions related to inland fisheries and aquaculture development to create a sound foundation from which to develop production in a second stage. In the short term government strategy should mainly concentrate on the development of various forms of freshwater fish farming. However, it should also be noted that increases in production from this source will be modest in the immediate future. Inland capture fisheries, with a potential of about 65,000 t/y, will continue to provide the vast majority of the supplies of freshwater fish for some time to come.
Although inland capture fisheries were not included in the terms of reference of this project, from the information gathered during the field trips and in the course of discussion with government officials it is quite evident that this subsector deserves more attention, in terms of investments and management assistance than what has been provided up to now. Even very small improvements in the operation of inland capture fisheries would bring more benefit to the country than the development of aquaculture and culture based fisheries in dams and dugouts. This mission therefore disagrees with the conclusions of the previous DDC mission on the lack of development potential of inland capture fisheries in Ghana.
In Ghana the apparent opportunities for culture-based fisheries are in artificial water bodies, the small community water supplies called dugouts and dams found mainly in the north and reservoirs throughout the country. Natural lakes, with the exception of Lake Botsomtwi, are few and small. Rivers, oxbows and floodplain lakes are annually self-replenishing. Large, open systems such as Lake Volta do not lend themselves to stocking programmes as they would require a massive effort that would be more expensive than other forms of management of its fisheries.
At present the amount of surface area in which culture based fisheries development is best justified is relatively small and consists mainly of artificial water bodies in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions where most of the dugouts and dams concentrated (see Field Technical Paper 1). Species enhancements can make a positive impact on food security, income and employment in an area that is less well off than the rest of the country. Yield potential of these water bodies has been estimated by the mission at 300 kg/ha/year a conservative value for a first development stage. Taking into consideration the water surface area available in these regions the potential yields would amount to some 300 t/year in the northern Region, some 50 t/year in the Upper East and about 25 t in the Upper West. This does not preclude the development of culture based fisheries in future in IDA reservoirs, when conditions to support this kind of operation are better and the investment to be incurred for fingerling production and fisheries management would be justified. Given the larger area available in the reservoirs, even with estimates of potential yields in the order of 110 kg/ha/year the catches could be appreciable especially in the Upper East region with some 470 t/year.
Many of the water bodies which are the potential targets of culture based fisheries may be self-replenishing and would thus be of low priority for stocking in this initial stage of development. Encouragement of fishing in water bodies not already fished and promotion of fishing in those only fished once per year is at present a higher priority than stocking. It is obvious that a reliable estimate of the incremental production that could be obtained through a well structured culture based fisheries programme is needed. It would require a detailed assessment of the situation in a sample of representative individual water bodies.
Improvements in nutrition are important for those who are malnourished or starving. These groups, however, are usually also the ones which generally do not have money to buy fish. One of the attractions of culture based fisheries in Northern Ghana is the likelihood that the rural communities, amongst the poorest in Ghana, may be able to benefit nutritionally from this activity. The extent to which they do will depend upon the management schemes used to exploit the fish populations in the dug-outs and dams. The cost benefit analysis of expending public resources on this activity indicates that it would be a worthwhile undertaking.
There are sufficient candidate species which would be suitable for culture based fisheries in Ghana. The ideal combination of characteristics for candidates for culture-based fisheries is a fish well adapted to natural conditions that fetches a good price and for which the culture technology already is in place and fingerling production is cheap. In Ghanaian inland waters Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia) meets these criteria. The technology to produce Clarias gariepinus (fresh water catfish) fingerlings exists in other countries although a high degree of reliability for producing economically a large amount of fingerlings has not yet been achieved. Chrisichthys nigrodigitatus (lagoon catfish) meets all of these criteria for lagoon systems, except for culture technology; however, a simple technology exists in Cote d'Ivoire and it is cheap.
Macrobrachium vollenhovenii (freshwater prawn) may be in the future an interesting candidate on which to base high-value culture-based fisheries in reservoirs along the coastal fringe. Marketing channels for the freshwater prawn are already established. The freshwater prawn would also be a candidate for culture. However, before any investment takes place on this species, technical assistance would be required. Information that clearly specifies its conditions for reproduction has to be obtained, market demand has to be estimated, a simple cost-effective culture technology has to be developed and, the economic feasibility of fresh water prawn culture based fisheries and culture has to be established.
Historically, the freshwater clam, Egeria radiata, has provided a geographically limited, but locally important fishery in the lower Volta. Before the Volta Lake, the annual harvest was put at between 4–7000 t.
The clam has several characteristics that could make it the objective of a development project, particularly if its range can be expanded. Development activities could enhance the existing fishery and, if it were to be found that it could be grown outside its present range and culture based fisheries then established (i.e. based on naturally produced seed stock), significant increases in production could result.
Lagoons generally are heavily fished. Catches seem small as do the sizes of the individual fish in the catch, a sign of over-exploitation. Therefore, they could be potential targets for culture based fisheries. However, a thorough-going survey of the fisheries and environmental conditions is a prerequisite to the design any stocking programme.
Brush-park fisheries (acadjas) could be a better alternative than culture based fisheries in lagoons through providing significant increases in yield based on natural production and by introducing management of the resources by the fishermen themselves. Brush-park fisheries have been successful in Togo, Benin and Cote d'Ivoire. However, there have been political and social difficulties with their introduction and operation. Therefore, careful planning involving the totality of the lagoon basin is an essential element of this kind of development. Aquaculture (development of brush park fisheries) would become an element to consider in an area development plan for the lagoons.
The main production systems for aquaculture in Ghana for the foreseeable future would be based on ponds below reservoirs, in irrigated areas and along perennial rivers and streams. The main species (see Field Technical Report No.2) will be Oreochromis niloticus and Clarias gariepinus. The development of M. vollenhovenii and M. rosenbergii culture and penaeid species and brine shrimp farming in solar salt pans appears to be also possible but more distant in time.
A number of production models alternatives have been identified for fish farmers in Ghana for which there are, at the national level at least, ample inputs in the form of land and water, animal manures and chemical fertilizers. Animal manures are available in sufficient quantities and at suitable costs to be considered the basis to increase the carrying capacity of ponds. Profitable operations are possible for the following eleven production technologies:
Of these, the systems based on O. niloticus using chicken manure, O. niloticus and Clarias in rice fields, male O. niloticus using pig slurry, O. niloticus using chemical fertilizer and O. niloticus using compost could form the basis of a strategy which could, if given the necessary institutional and financial support, result in an increase in national production of 5,000 tons by the year 2000 (see Field Technical Report 3).
These systems could, therefore, form the basis of a national aquaculture development strategy. Moreover, the analysis suggests that the profitability of the various systems are not very sensitive to scale variations and could therefore be promoted within the small-scale and the larger scale farming communities.
Other systems, or combinations of the above systems, can also be viable in particular districts of the country and the identification of those potentially most profitable systems listed above does not preclude the promotion and introduction of alternatives. In fact, the selection of production systems at a district or sub-district level should be based on a rigorous assessment of what inputs are economically available within the particular locality. This could be undertaken using the GIS as a follow up to the present project.
The GIS has been also utilized to identify the districts which offer the best prospects for development of fish farming along the lines described above (see Field Technical Report No 5). Using as criteria soil suitability for ponds, water availability, economics of inputs and markets, welfare, availability of extension services, infrastructure and agglomeration several integrated models were developed. These combine selected criteria in different ways to highlight a number of different development strategies. Although the approach is new and would still require further refinements in terms of quality of the data used for the spatial characterization and modelling, this first analysis has permitted a ranking of districts according to their capability for fish farming development, which reached the highest scores in the four models developed. The five districts where possibilities for a successful development of fish farming are best in theory, are: Atwima, Amansie West, Ho, Kumasi and Sunyani. The use of the GIS therefore facilitates decisions on where development efforts should be concentrated to have the highest chances of success.
Other positive factors which enhance the likelihood of successful development of freshwater aquaculture in Ghana include:
In a longer term perspective, the candidates for culture amongst fresh-water crustacea are fresh water prawns. No freshwater prawn is being grown commercially in Ghana at present. Attempts have been made to culture both M. rosenbergii and M. vollenhovenii but so far without resulting in sustained, commercial cultures. While M. rosenbergii is being cultured, principally in Thailand, M.vollenhovenii is not known to have been cultured commercially anywhere.
There would seem to be four basic possibilities: (i) do not bother attempting to culture either species; (ii) develop the culture of M. vollenhovenii; (iii) introduce the culture of M. rosenbergii; and, (iv) promote the culture of both.
For M. rosenbergii the advantage is a known and transferable technology. The disadvantages are uncertain markets in West Africa and limited ones world wide. For M. vollenhovenii the situation is the reverse: while the culture technology remains to be developed, the market in West Africa seems to be assured.
Ghana possesses a large surface area of solar salt works some of which might be adapted for fish or brine shrimp culture. The installed capacity of the eight main salt producing companies in Ghana is about 219 000 tons of salt per year.
Solar salt ponds can be used for extensive aquaculture. Fish are trapped at the entrance as the pond fills. Desirable species are retained and introduced to the pond, or fish can be stocked from other sources to increase densities. With very little or perhaps no modification, the first reservoirs of the saltworks can be ready-made ponds for farming of mullets or euryhaline tilapia. Some of the latter are able to live at salinities as high as 40 ‰. Alternatively, the first reservoirs could be used for the indigenous shrimp, Penaeus notialis. The potential yield of shrimp in the first reservoirs is about 150 kg/ha/y.
The other hypersaline ponds of the saltworks could be used for the culture of the brine shrimp, Artemia salina. A main market for brine shrimp cysts main market is as larval feed for penaeid shrimp and for Macrobrachium larval culture. They are also used in the fish hobbyist market. The availability of a cheap source of brine shrimp could be an important element for to the commercial feasibility of Macrobrachium vollenhovenii larval culture.
The ponds with a salinity between 100 and 110 ‰ could be stocked with the cysts of the brine shrimp.
There is one critical constraint which affects both aquaculture and culture based fisheries development. This major constraint is that the Fisheries Department is unable to provide the information and services that are required for efficient development and management.
The Department lacks the basic information, personnel and mobility to enable it to provide advice and support for aquaculture and culture based fisheries development. The Department's existing system does not meet the needs for resource evaluation, fishery management or the identification of technical assistance and development needs. Aquaculture is not regularly or systematically covered. There is also a lack of awareness of developments in other countries of the region which are relevant to Ghanaian conditions.
A lack of coordination between the Department and other government organisations has been noticed by the mission. There is a need for effective consultative procedures between the Department and organisations involved in the development and management of irrigation schemes and urban water supplies, and between the Department and aquaculture research institutions.
Another major general constraint which has been identified by the mission is the lack of information on the fish marketing situation. This could not be properly addressed by the mission due to time limitations but is a crucial issue which has to be dealt with in the future. In particular, a better knowledge of fish marketing at the district and region levels is required including the species, processed form in which different species are sold, the seasonality of supply, price variations in the course of the year and overall directions and volumes of flow of fish products.
The following are constraints on culture based fisheries development:
Lack of information on the hydrobiological characteristics of dugouts, dams and small reservoirs, as well as on present levels of exploitation and fishing practices.
Lack of information on the results achieved by prior culture based fisheries efforts on which the design of new, more appropriate activities both for stocking and for follow-up evaluation of the outcome
Lack of proper fry/fingerling production facilities in the areas of major concentration of dugouts and dams. This results in the impossibility of stocking water bodies or, in high costs for stocking and managing fisheries due to the need to transport over long distances. The problem is compounded by the lack of equipment for stocking
Lack of knowledge of fishing and fish processing techniques in some communities in the Northern part of the country, and existence of taboos against consumption of certain species in the Lower Volta and the Northern Regions.
Lack of appropriate fishing gears
High public cost of stocking and managing fisheries in small, isolated water bodies in relation to the fish output obtained.
Lack of coordination between the Fisheries Department and other bodies involved in water resource management, notably the Irrigation Development Authority and the Ghana Water and Sewage Corporation
lack of information on the conditions for reproduction and lack of a culture technology for M. vollenhovenii
lack of information on the conditions for reproduction and lack of a culture technology
A review of markets for farmed freshwater fish, of availability of inputs and of the cost-income relationships for the most common combinations of species and cultures systems (see Field Technical Report No. 3), indicates the following as constraints:
almost all farmed tilapia will continue to be bought by consumers in fresh or fried form (“Koobi”). However, if additional supplies of farmed tilapia expand rapidly (say by about 100 tons) in a district within the next 5 years, it will become increasingly difficult for the producers to sell the tilapia produced in the local district markets at current price levels. Farmers will then be forced to ensure that the fish reaches the high priced (fresh fish) markets in major towns. Farmers who have access to free water and manures/feed will be able to compete with freshwater fishermen in local markets. the relatively low cost of tilapia and catfish originating from capture fisheries will ensure that prices of farmed fish will remain under pressure. Few farmers indeed will be able to produce tilapia so cheaply that they can sell to the existing “koobi” producers.
projected farm budgets for different culture systems show that, even at relatively low profits, likely ex-farm prices generally are so high (Cedis 150 to 250/kg) that it is unrealistic to expect fish farming to provide food cheap enough to make a difference for the poorest sections of rural and urban populations.
a review of the availability of land/water, labour, fingerlings, feed/fertilizer and credit indicates that it is primarily the cost and access to land/water (and then primarily water) and feed/fertilizer which will determine which culture systems are most likely to be successful and therefore should be promoted.
the existing agro-industrial by-products are not sufficiently available at the required low cost to form the basis of any major development in fish farming
In brief, the following are additional constraints specific to aquaculture development:
high costs of transporting aquaculture inputs and products
competition (seasonal) from capture fisheries for fresh fish markets
limited fingerling production capacity, particularly for Clarias gariepinus
lack of formal credit for aquaculture development in the short term
lack of appropriate materials to construct nets for pond harvest and high cost of such materials, when available
lack of extension capability and appropriate extension messages. Specifically, farmers need information in the following areas:
record keeping and business administration
lack of organization and coordination of the existing research capability. In addition, applied research is lacking in the following areas:
This section lays out how the project's findings can be used to improve aquaculture and culture based fisheries in Ghana by specifying technical assistance needs and investment opportunities in an overall framework for development. It first presents the rationale for development. Then it turns to the development strategy advocated by the mission and the phasing required. Finally, it presents the specific elements of the development framework.
The following are justifications for the pursuit of aquaculture and culture-based fisheries development:
The main considerations for the development strategy and the phasing of development in two stages are the following:
Stage 1. The institutions directly or indirectly involved with fisheries and aquaculture are weak. Therefore, the first stage of development has to have as its first priority the strengthening of institutions. Also, during the first stage fish farming and culture-based fisheries approaches can be tested from among those which the present study has identified as being the most viable. These initial fish farming efforts should concentrate exclusively in those areas which have been identified by the GIS as having the best development potential.
Emphasis during the first stage should be on improving the information base for development decision making, for example, status of dugouts and dams, fish marketing in all of its aspects, technical and economic feasibility of prawn culture and of clam enhancement and socio-economic and technical aspects of lagoon fishery and aquaculture development.
Our analysis of the potential of aquaculture and culture-based fisheries and the priorities we have set may go counter to existing government plans. This will require discussion and eventually some adjustment because changes in priorities will require a different allocations of funds to the Fisheries Department and other affected institutions.
Stage 2. In this phase there will be a shift in emphasis from institution strengthening to production-oriented investment although the latter will still be maintained.
The following section gives the views of the mission on the structuring of activities which are required to implement the development strategy described above. They are complemented by a series of individual project ideas which are summarized in Section 9 and shown in more detail in Field Working Paper No 13. In order to have the desired effect the individual projects should be integrated in packages. These could then be combined to make one or several investment cum technical assistance projects for which the main components are identified below.
The sections that follow lay out four main building blocks of the development framework. These are:
Strengthening the institutions directly responsible for development of the subsector or involved with it;
Testing of culture based fisheries techniques;
Fish farming development;
Preparatory actions necessary for a longer term (second phase) development stage.
As the terms of reference of the mission did not include inland capture fisheries these are not being dealt with here. However, given the close association between capture fisheries, culture-based fisheries and aquaculture, additional studies are recommended in the follow-up section of this report.
The sections on constraints have highlighted the inadequacy of the present institutions to cope with CBF and fish farming development in a sustained and efficient manner. The interventions needed to overcome these constraints in the first development stage are:
upgrading of the services that the Fisheries Department is responsible to provide and,
improvement of the liaison between that department and other Ghanaian institutions involved in utilization of inland waters, research, and extension in rural areas.
The upgrading of the Fisheries Department will require:
in country training of staff at all levels in fish farming and inland fisheries management and development, including culture based fisheries,
preparation of manuals and teaching aids for fish farming and for culture based fisheries as an integral part of its extension efforts,
a redefinition of the function of the Fisheries Department staff in inland fisheries and aquaculture. New emphasis should be placed on a specialized aquaculture advisory role in order to technically support agricultural extension staff already deployed in the districts. Likewise, the Department needs to provide better support for other extension efforts that are entirely carried out by the Fisheries Department itself, such as those associated with large reservoir and coastal lagoon fisheries and dugouts and dams,
The improvement of the liaison between the Fisheries Department and the other national institutions requires:
the creation of a working group for research coordination headed by the Fisheries department. It would include the three universities, IAB and ICOUR
coordination by the Fisheries Department of the management and development of fisheries in IDA reservoirs
the coordination and provision of training in fish farming for the agricultural extensionists is to be the responsibility of the Fisheries Department
the coordination, under the supervision of the Fisheries Department, of the collection and analysis of hydrobiological data on dams, dugouts and reservoirs.
The results of the survey on the situation of CBF and governmental stations in charge of the production of fry/fingerlings for stocking purposes carried out by the mission indicate that a limited potential exists in terms of total volumes of production which could be achieved. However, fish produced in dugouts and dams in the northern part of the country could have a considerable nutritional importance for the communities living around dugouts and dams. It was also found that the capacity of the Fisheries Department to stock and manage these water bodies is extremely limited due to a series of major constraints which have been identified above.
As an incentive for the development of CBF a number of elements that could be part of an investment project have been identified. These are:
A detailed study to verify the status of fisheries in dams, dugouts and small reservoirs. It would include analysis of their hydrobiological characteristics in order to determine the best patterns of exploitation for the individual water bodies. These studies are to be the responsibility of the Fisheries Department. It could be assisted by IDA and university research groups, and would concentrate in the northern part of the country and Volta Region.
a second and parallel study (it could be combined with the first) should analyze the socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of the communities utilizing these water bodies or having acquired rights (traditional or legal) to their use. This second study would be used to select water bodies where stocking or organized fishing programmes could be implemented.
provision of adequate gear to demonstrate and promote fishing where required,
improvement or creation of sufficient capacity for fry/fingerling production and transport to serve stocking programmes, located in proximity of the districts with the highest concentration of dugouts and dams amenable to stocking.
Coordination with government and NGO's responsible for creating new water bodies and for the maintenance of existing ones so that their designs and operations enhance fishery potential.
The results of this mission point out that fish farming is at a very early stage of development in Ghana. Its development has been hindered by the lack of support from the public sector to sustain it in the initial stages. The preliminary analysis done using GIS shows that the areas where fish farming should have best chances of success are quite different from those where CBF seems to have better possibilities except in the case of some irrigation projects in the north. This implies largely geographically separate efforts for fish farming and culture-based fisheries development by the Fisheries Department. Since the facilities available to support this fish farming development and the personnel with experience in fish farming are scarce the speed of development has to be slow in the first stage. Also, efforts should be concentrated in the more promising districts (which have been identified through the GIS) to avoid a dispersion of effort and to ensure a maximum demonstration effect of the packages tested.
The most promising districts should be assessed in more detail than was possible for the present project as to the availability of inputs (seed, agricultural by-products, manures fertilizers, etc). The results would be used to select and refine the production packages having highest chances of success.
In parallel with this, an analysis of the local marketing of fish products should be conducted so that, if necessary, mechanisms to favour the distribution of farmed fish output could be planned.
To optimize the use of the available manpower resources the agricultural extensionists of the districts to be developed should be trained in fish farming techniques by the personnel of the Fisheries Department. This training requires the preparation by the Fisheries Department of training and extension aids to be used both for training of agricultural extensionist and for farmers. To demonstrate the techniques pilot scale fish farming units should be established by the Fisheries Department for training and for production of fingerlings for distribution in the initial stages of development, or else existing stations could be rehabilitated for the same purpose
As a last component for aquaculture development the provision of a line of credit for small entrepreneurs should be considered. From the analysis of the mission this group appears to be best able to take advantage of fish farming opportunities. Interviews conducted by the mission indicate that the entrepreneurial group suffers from a lack of formal credit and that this is one of their major bottlenecks preventing them from going into fish farming.
In a framework for development it is necessary to ensure that the actions initiated in the first phase can be smoothly expanded either horizontally, or by increasing their complexity when the conditions warrant it. This requires preparing a foundation for a second stage of CBF and fish farming development as well as getting ready to start new development efforts in lagoons, saltworks and/or inland capture fisheries. The main responsibility for the second stage would lay with the Fisheries Department, but in association with other institutions involved in water and land management and research. Elements of this component, which could be separately financed, but which should be initiated in the first phase of development are;
an upgrading of the information base required for planning, which would include:
an analysis of the availability of physical resources which may require the establishment of a survey section and the upgrading of existing GIS capability,
a monitoring of the status of inland capture fisheries, of culture based fisheries results and of fish farming. This requires an efficient monitoring section, which may require external support, which would closely liaise with the survey section,
a detailed analysis of marketing of fish for planning purposes
feasibility analysis on the potential of lagoon fisheries enhancement and utilization of saltworks for brackishwater aquaculture and production of Artemia cysts and biomass.
the promotion of biotechnical and bioeconomic research for use of new species for CBF and aquaculture, which implies;
a study of the freshwater clam fishery distribution and of its possibilities for expansion into larger areas,
a similar study for the local freshwater prawn for its inclusion in CBF and aquaculture projects,
adaptive research to introduce and refine the techniques developed for the breeding of Clarias gariepinus,
research to increase the carrying capacity of ponds and small water bodies through an optimal use of manure and simple feeds prepared with locally available ingredients.
rehabilitation of fingerling production stations in districts other than those incorporated in the first stage of development
The immediate follow-up recommended would be a discussion between FAO and the Government on the proposals made by this project and the impact they would have on existing and planned programmes.
FAO can transmit project proposals to financing institutions and bilateral/multilateral donors and can assist the Government in coordinating the funding of the various components and tasks identified by the project.
After an agreement is reached on the nature of the programmes which could be incorporated as components of an investment programme, detailed preparation according to the standards of the financing institutions could be taken care by the specialized division of the FAO.
Although it was not included in the terms of reference of the mission the inland capture fisheries subsector appears to have a development potential that far exceeds that of CBF and fish farming in the short term. For example, the improvement of the efficiency of inland capture fisheries by 10–15% would already exceed what could be realistically obtained as incremental production through CBF and fish farming together in the next five to ten years. Therefore a detailed analysis of the inland capture fisheries subsector with the objective of providing a complementary technical assistance and investment framework for it should be organized as a follow up to this mission.
The following briefly summarises the projects for which external assistance is required and which, along with independent actions by the Fisheries Department themselves, address the identified constraints to the development of culture based fisheries and aquaculture in Ghana. Further details are given in Field Working Papers 13.
9.1 Project Area: Training. (Priority: High)
9.1.1 Project: Training in Fish Farming and Inland Fisheries.
Immediate objective: To bring Fisheries Department staff to a level of training such that they can be effective in fish farming extension and in fisheries management and development.
Outputs: Appropriate curricula, upgraded facilities, trained fisheries officers, technicians, agricultural extension workers and farmers, Fisheries Department capability to run training courses in the long term.
Activities: Curricula development, upgrading of facilities, identification of staff, identification of fish farms and fisheries for demonstration, short training courses for fisheries personnel, extensionists and farmers
Inputs: Aquaculture trainer/CTA (18 m)
Consultant instructors (10 m)
Inland fisheries trainer (12 m)
9.1.2 Project: Manuals and Teaching Aids for Fish Farming and Fisheries
Immediate objective: The immediate objective is to accelerate fish farming development and to make fish farming more efficient by having manuals and visual aids to support the work of extension agents. Similarly, practical guides on net making and repair and on fishing and fish processing could be a stimulus to culture based fisheries development as well as useful for other kinds of fisheries.
Outputs: Appropriate manuals and booklets collected or devised and distributed to fisheries officers, fishermen, farmers and school teachers. Fisheries Department capability to update literature in the long term.
Activities: Assessment of fish farming and culture based fisheries needs in Ghana, assessment, collection and translation, where necessary, of available resources and dissemination of same.
Inputs: Aquaculture information specialist/CTA (18 m) Consultant in the design of manuals and booklets (4 m) Fisheries information specialist (12 m)
9.2.1 Project: Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Information System.
Immediate objectives: Provide basic information for:
Outputs: The principal output is information on which to make decisions on management development priorities. Activities: Assess needs, design frame survey and information system, establish trained and equipped unit, incorporate GIS.
Inputs:
Statistician/CTA (24 m)
Consultant in micro-computerization of fishery data (3 m)
Immediate Objectives: Increase the food supply at village level, introduce fish to the villagers diet, promote full use of water and aquatic resources at the village level, promote improved rural health by reducing water-borne diseases
Outputs: The principal output is the promotion of food security, income and employment through full use of the fishery potential of dugouts and dams
Activities: Surveying of dams and dugouts, assessment of stocking requirements, evaluation of hatchery needs, training and promotion of fisheries, management of fisheries, education in water-borne diseases, hatchery rehabilitation, fish seed distribution
Inputs: CTA/Fisheries biologist (24 m)
Specialist in village level education (24 m)
Consultant socio-economist (3 m)
Consultant aquaculture engineer (2 m)
Immediate objectives: the promotion of appropriate systems of integrated fish farming in farming communities in Ghana
Outputs: pilot scale extension centres capable of supplying fingerlings, demonstration, adaptive research trials and aquaculture management and training for farmers and extension agents, established commercial farms
Activities: selection of centres, using GIS and detailed survey of populations and availability of inputs and markets, construction, staffing and equipping of centres, initial management of farms, supply of inputs, including credit
Inputs: Expert staff, consultants, transport, equipment, funds for credit for lead farmers
Immediate objectives: increased sale of fresh tilapia in urban markets, establishment of processing technology for improved processed product based on farmed tilapia
Outputs: specification of boxes, ice to fish ratios, guidelines for transport, storage and display,
Activities: identification of containers, investigation of shelf life, trial marketing of product forms, establishment of price levels, trial processing
Inputs: fish processing and marketing specialists, technicians, labourers, transport, boxes, ice making equipment, cold storage, funds for trial wholesaling, credit for fish farmers/traders for purchase of boxes and for retailers for storage and display equipment.
Immediate objectives: to determine the feasibility of extensive fish and brine shrimp culture in saltworks.
Outputs: an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of using solar salt ponds for extensive fish farming and for brine shrimp culture, the design of a pilot investment project for salt pond fish farming and brine shrimp culture
Activities: review literature, check surveys of coastal areas, assess economic feasibility, visit owners and promote aquaculture production, select ponds for development, design pilot project
Inputs: Consultant in coastal aquaculture (3 m) Aquaculture
economist (2 m)
Local consultant (aquaculturalist/marine fishery
biologist) (3 m)
Local economist (2 m)
Immediate objective: to determine the feasibility of brush park fisheries in Ghanaian lagoons and to estimate the benefits that could accrue from their development.
Outputs: determination of the feasibility of brush park fisheries, improved basis for lagoon management
Activities: to investigate the possible social problems which can arise from the development of brush park fisheries and to assess their economic feasibility
Inputs: Socioeconomist (3 m)
Fish culturist (3 m)
Immediate objective: to test the feasibility of using M. vollenhovenii in culture based fisheries and in commercial culture.
Outputs: information on which to base the development of prawn culture based fisheries and culture
Activities: synthesize existing information on life history, assess markets, investigate fisheries and life histories, monitor catch, reproductive status and conditions for reproduction, conduct stocking and fishing trials, develop artificial and grow-out technologies, assess economic feasibility
| Inputs: | - | Consultants in aquaculture economics and prawn culture |
| - | Contract to IAB (Institute of Aquatic Biology) or the University of Ghana to undertake laboratory and field investigations |
Immediate objectives: trained aquaculture researchers and teachers, establishment of a programme of applied research to support aquaculture development in Ghana
Outputs: trained researchers/lecturers and a programme of relevant research activity at the Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, Kumasi.
Activities: teaching in research methods for aquaculture, in Kumasi and abroad, upgrading of research facilities, establishment of research programmes in feeding under local conditions, artificial reproduction of Clarias gariepinus natural and artificial reproduction of M. vollenhovenii, lagoon ecology and aquaculture potential and the use of Azolla in fish culture
Inputs: one expert coordinator in aquaculture, consultants, funds for upgrading facilities and for training abroad.
Field Technical Reports:
Technical Assistance and Investment Framework for Culture Based Fisheries in Ghana. A review and analysis of the potentials and constraints affecting the development of culture based fisheries in Ghana, giving recommendations for actions and projects to be undertaken by the Government.
Inland Fish Farming Alternatives for Ghana: Technical and Economic Aspects. Technical descriptions and economic analyses of 11 alternative aquaculture production systems suitable for the resources and markets available in Ghana, assessing the likely profitability of each system.
Review of the Economics of Fish Farming and Culture Based Fisheries in Ghana. A review of the main factors affecting the economics of aquaculture and culture based fisheries with projections for likely, or realistic, increases in production in aquaculture over the first five years of a development programme.
Social and Cultural Contexts for Fish Farming and Culture Based Fisheries in Ghana. An assessment of the social needs, traditional forms of social organisation and resource management, existing systems of land tenure, credit provision and processing, distribution and marketing systems. The government capability to foster socio-economic development at the local level is assessed and recommendations for the enhancement of this through improved approaches to extension provision are made.
Where are the Best Opportunities for Fish Farming in Ghana?: The Ghana Geographical Information System as a Decision-making Tool for Fish Farming Development. An overview of the use of the GIS for aquaculture development planning in Ghana. Factors relevant to development potential, such as land/water availability, inputs, markets, welfare, extension, general development and agglomeration are described. They are incorporated into models which identify the districts with the best opportunities for the development of tilapia and catfish farming in ponds. Accuracy of the results is discussed and recommendations are made for follow up studies.
Field Working Papers:
The Economics of Culture Based Fisheries. A cost benefit analysis of culture based fisheries development in small dams and dugouts.
Production of Oreochromis niloticus Fingerlings for Culture Based Fisheries. A description of the requirements and costs for a fingerling production facility for culture based fisheries.
Projection of the Cost of a Commercial Hatchery for Clarias gariepinus in Ghana. Assessment of the investment and operating costs and the likely cost per fingerling for a commercial hatchery.
Manures and Agro-industrial By-products for Fish Farming in Ghana. A review of the present and likely future availability of manures, including chemical fertilizers, and agro-industrial by-products in Ghana. An assessment of their potential contribution as major inputs to a national aquaculture development strategy is made.
Cost of Transport. A review of transport costs, both official and unofficial, as they affect the distribution of inputs for fish farming and the distribution of fish products.
Critical Mass for Fish Farming Extension Work. A cost benefit analysis of fish farming extension activity in Ghana.
Formal Credit for Aquaculture and Culture Based Fisheries: A review of banks' experiences in the provision of credit for aquaculture and the current availability of credit for aquaculture development.
Selecting the Optimum Combination of Fish Culture Systems for a District in Ghana. Description of the information needed and of a method of analyzing this to select the appropriate systems for a district.
Use of the Geographic Information System (GIS) to Select Priority Districts for Fish Farm Development. Rationale for and description of a model for choosing those districts most suitable for aquaculture development effort.
Description and Assessment of Fish Farms in Ghana. A description of private, government and parastatal fish farms and research facilities visited by the mission. Comments on the farms and their management are given and recommendations concerning rehabilitation to government farms, improved management practices and priorities for supporting research are made.
Overview of the Results the of the Fish Farm Survey. A summary of a nationwide survey of fish farms which was conducted by the mission.
Pre-project Investigation for the Development and Management of Culture Based Fisheries. A detailed recommendation for a pre-project investigation, to be carried out by the Fisheries Department, to gain information essential to define the contribution to food security, income and employment which might be expected from the development of culture based fisheries in dams and dugouts.
Project Outlines. A number of desirable projects, in outline, which could remove the important constraints to the development of aquaculture and culture based fisheries in Ghana.
